20100718.144024
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20080730.144615
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20080114.231544
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20080109.022443
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20070823.031056
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The week of April 21-April 27 2003 saw a lot of developments
in the great Megg Egg Hunt (which was officially started early
February 2003 although the egg was mentioned briefly around the time
of Halo's release). Credit needs to be given to individuals that
contributed to the finding of the egg via endorsed methods.
Megalomaniac was the first individual to get the end result of the
egg, even if he did not understand what it meant or how to reproduce
it. 2and2make5 along with Shishka were the first people to send in a
detailed (and correct, if not overly explained) version of triggers
along with explanations for clues Ð and get credit for the complete
egg find. WadoSG was the only person to have logically reasoned most
steps via clues given. Tiny and ~I am Banana~ get credit for posting
the first generally recognized public steps to finding the egg and
keeping the hunt going. Sep7imus should also be mentioned as he gave
the hunt and the egg the moniker: The Megg.

Thanks needs to
be extended to the users and administrators of the Subnova Megg
Forum, HBO (halo.bungie.org) Forum, the xbox.com Halo Forum,
Haloeggs Forum, teamxbox.com Forums, and the Battleground Halo Forum
for their collective efforts and patience in the search. There were
literally thousands of hunters participating. Thanks to everyone,
and lets do it again next year.

Mention needs to be extended
to the HaloHackers group. While they did not follow the generally
accepted methods of the search, they displayed their prowess for
pushing the technology as far as it would go. (Next time, try to
follow the rules so you don't spoil other people's fun.)

The Megg, as it is affectionately known, was a private gift
from Jaime Griesemer (Designer on Halo, Lead Designer on Halo 2) for
his then significant other, Meg (a.k.a. Pallor). The egg was a
completely scripted event with multiple triggers buried in the
Pillar of Autumn level of Halo: Combat Evolved. The Megg was created
entirely by one person, for another person as a gift of
appreciation. It was not intended for public viewing en mass.

The gift incorporated many elements of the game that Meg
enjoyed. It was more complex than just a visual
picture, and required some thought by the designer, as well as
devotion to extended hours to incorporate it into the game. The
whole process, triggers, actions, visual and ending is the full egg.

The egg was a nod to the recipient and a thank you for all
the grief the game itself caused in her life (imagined or real). It
was quite the perfect personal gift. Not to mention the fact that it
forever will stand in one of the best selling video games.

The original phrases given to the public were not "clues"
but more of a description on what the egg was and entailed.

Carnage before. Impossible tasks as
possible. One maker. Mathematics births gore. Devotion. Pain. Before
you die, you see the Megg.

"Carnage before"
referred to the amount of killing you needed to do before you
reached the Megg and the end of the journey. "Impossible tasks as
possible" was in reference to making it past the invincible marines
alive and finding your way to the sealed room. "One maker" was a nod
to the fact that Jaime Griesemer made the level and the Megg.
"Mathematics births gore" has to do with the actual triggered
bullets that spelled out the "M" and heart on the ceiling. The
script was the math that made the gore. "Devotion" was a two-pronged
term. It meant devotion of the creator to the owner exemplified by
the visual message and the devotion you needed to have in order to
reach the end on your own. "Pain" had to do with the amount of hits
you would be taking and how many times most people would have to
start over. In other words, it isn't easy. In fact, its legendary.
"Before you die, you see the Megg" is a throw back to the movie "The
Ring". It is in reference to the fact that you cannot escape alive
once you have seen The Megg. Game over.

"Just keep in mind Jaime likes me - a lot. "Like" is an
enormous understatement. I also enjoy massive carnage in games.
Blood and bullets make me smile."

Originally from
an HBO post, that was the most descriptive information given about
the end result. The bloody heart riddled with bullets and the "M"
seems to fit that description quite well.

The Queen quote
"Look up to the skies and see" was a
direct reference to where you needed to be looking. It was the most
blatant directional help the public received. You need to look up to
see the Megg since it is on the ceiling.

"Its not an audio egg. But it may make you
scream."

Probably the most controversial sentence
posted, it simply means it wasn't an audio file. Making you scream
is all relatively applied. Meg screamed for joy and was excited
about the egg. Some people would scream in relief that the search
was over. A few would scream out of frustration on the journey.
Others would scream because it simply did not live up to their own
inflated expectations.

1.
Start PoA on Legendary, single player. Unknown if it works on co-op.
2. Skip the cutscene, turn around, and jump on Master Chief's
cryo tube after it closes. 3. Jump on top of the shield
regenerator. 4. Jump on top of the walkway. 5. Look up, then
walk towards the exit while on the walkway. 6. Once done, turn
around and walk to the back. 7. Jump on top of the barrel.
8. Jump down to the barrel below it. 9. Run around on these
barrels. 10. Jump back on top of the top barrel. Do this by
holding crouch right before the jump reaches its apex. 11. You
should hear the crewman leave - he says "This way!". 12. Wait
for the explosion. Music starts. 13. Jump back on top of the
walkway. Walk towards the door, jump off walkway and head for the
bridge. 14. Run past the Australian Marine. 15. Once at the
bridge, walk PAST Keyes WITHOUT triggering the cutscene and jump
down to the ladder. Wait for the message on climbing ladders to
appear before jumping up. 16. Climb up and talk to Keyes.
17. Head for the exit. Kill all three grunts. The order doesn't
appear to matter. 18. Get the Assault Rifle by the door. Reload
it for a full clip. 19. Kill a standing crewman near the door
without a headshot. With what weapon doesn't appear to matter.
20. Once the invincible marines come for you, shoot at them with
the Ar until your clip is empty. (the door will open exactly when
Cortana says "rampant"). 21. Duck behind the pillar next to the
door, reload, and fire at them some more. 22. Run for the door.
It should open by now. 23. Go down the hall. Look up. There it
is. 24. Now you're screwed - you can stay in the Megg room, but
if you leave, the invincible marines will kill you. Even if you run
past them, the door to the rest of the Autumn is locked. Nice
knowing you.

As posted by DocOctavius on HBO:

Legendary, POA. Just when you exit the cryo-tube, run
around to the right, and hop up to the canister thingy with the
yellow on it. Stand there for 10 seconds, then run through the
shield generator toward the marine. Follow and watch him die, go
over pipes normally, and find the ozzie marine- jump over him- don't
follow.

Go to the bridge, get Keyes' gun, go out the hall
and get ammo, go back, kill Keyes, then hide in the bridge entrance
corridor. Wait about 10 seconds, and run for the open door behind
where the invincible marines spawn from. If you make it through the
door, they won't follow- go to the end of the hall, and look up. A
bloody heart with an M in in. How sweet.

Those
instructions satiate the triggers. They are not the way the egg was
demonstrated originally Ð but they work.

The Megg Egg Hunt was a learning
experience for all parties involved. Never before had the
independent Halo communities overlapped so much on a project. For
the most part, the communities seemed to be enjoying the hunt. A few
dissenters seemed to voice their opinions loud and clear not to
mention at every chance they had. The hunt polarized most
participants immeditaley.

It was not the intention of the
creator or owner to turn the community into a bubbling pool of
chaos. Certainly it was not the intention to make people frustrated,
cranky or lose sleep over the egg. It was the intention for the egg
to make one person smile and she did.